Villages at Skybrook North

The Villages at Skybrook North continues to grow and working towards being the largest presence between Huntersville and Concord. This inviting community offers a variety of properties for sale including pre-owned homes and new construction for you to select flexible floor plans. Skybrook North offers homes to fit any lifestyle with homes starting in the low 200's with low  Cabarrus County taxes and great school districts. This amazing communities offers amenities for the entire family:

- 18 hole championship golf course 

- Swim, tennis and racquetball Club 

- Parks, play grounds and walking paths

Villages at Skybrook is convenient with easy access to I-85, I-485, I-77 and highway 73 not to mention Lowe's Motor Speedway, Concord Mills Mall, Birkdale Village and Uptown Charlotte. New home builders DR. Horton and Standard Pacific are awaiting a call to view their model homes, so schedule an appointment with me today and we can head over there together. 

 

DR Horton 

Franklin Floor Plan

5 Bedrooms

3 Bathrooms

FACT: In 2010, this community had 11 sales. In 2011 there were 12 sales and currently, just half of 2012 there are already 11 sales all with an average sales price of $231,000. The numbers speak for themselves....IN DEMAND! Follow me on Facebook for more Charlotte real estate information.

Yolanda Hayes

Wilkinson and Associates

704-839-6005

Communication Is Key

Hello there everyone!! Yes, I have been MIA dealing with life but I'm back blogging this month to kick off the New Year 2012.

Today I want to talk about communication between a real estate and their client. It's very important that a client stay in their position and allow their agent to do their job. Talking to new construction home builders without your agent can lead to trouble even with an innocent conversation. Visiting model homes without your agent is great...it really helps you to know you are looking for and what you don't want. You can take your time viewing floor plans and gathering data about that particular builder however once the topics of loan qualifications, down payments, earnest money etc. comes about...this is when you want to have your Realtor present.

Recently a current client of mine decided to re-visit a few home sites that we previously viewed to together to refresh her memory. In advance we discussed that my presence was not needed and that I had already had committed to another client to hold an Open House on the same day. Now how  "re-visiting" model homes to refresh memory turned into borderline submitting an offer, I have no idea. What I do know is that the builders sales agent was very aware that a the buyer had an agent and someone should have called me. To make a long story short...they were about 3 mistake made by the sales agent giving incorrect information and my client looked at me to correct it. I was not there to be apart of the conversation and I was blamed for not "being there" for her. WOW! This really hurt my feelings because I was her #1 star until things went wrong. I was a phone call a way but she stepped in my shoes and tried to negotiate the transaction herself then shifted the blame on me. Lesson learned....keep your agent in the loop at all times. Buying a home is one of the most important investments you can make in life and not to be rushed.

For more information on the home buying process, please attend my home buyers seminar 1/28/12 on Charlotte, NC. RSVP at soldbyyolanda@gmail.com

Understanding Credit and Building For Home Ownership

(I am not a credit expert. These are just my opinions and proven research)

Today I want to talk about understanding and building your credit. You must understand credit in order to build credit properly. In today's real estate market, I'm faced with potential buyers struggling to become homeowners however continuously blocked by credit issues. Although you cannot build credit overnight, you can establish good credit history within 6 months or what I call "good behavior" period.

Understanding FICO Scores:

There are several aspects to how a FICO score is determined. A score can range between 300-850; the higher the better. The goal is to get your score at 720 or higher however having all 3 credit bureau scores above 620 can get you into a home today. Just this week, I handed a new home owner the keys to her new home with a middle score of 616 so it can be done.

35 percent Payment History: "Having a long history of making payments on time and no missed payments on all credit accounts is one of the most important items lenders look for."

30 percent Amount Owed: "This measures the amount you owe relative to the total amount of credit available. Someone closer to maxing out all their credit limits is deemed to be at a higher risk of making late payments in the future and this can lower their credit score.

15 percent Length of Credit History: "In general, a credit report containing a list of accounts opened for a long time will help your credit score. The score considers your oldest account and the average age of all accounts."

10 percent New Credit: "Opening several new credit accounts in a short period of time can lower your credit score. Also multiple credit report inquiries can represent a greater risk, but this does NOT include any requests made by you, an employer or by a lender who does so when sending you an unsolicited, "pre-approved" credit offer. Also, to compensate for rate shopping, the score counts multiple inquiries in any 14-day period as just one inquiry.

10 percent Types of Credit in Use: "Your mix of credit cards, retail accounts, finance company loans and mortgage loans is considered."

There are 3 main companies that collect credit information; Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. You can purchase all 3 scores and reports at www.myFICO.com for $40.00 and compare. If you find inaccurate accounts, submitting an online dispute request is a very common practice. Accounts less than 2 years old and/or over $500 must be paid and resolved PRIOR to you contacting a mortgage lender. Any late payments in the last 12 months are worth contacting the creditor to see what you can do to have removed.
If you have filed bankruptcy Chapter 7, you must wait 2 years and Chapter 13 wait period is 3 years before you may qualify for a mortgage loan. Repossessions have a 3 year wait period and rental history with an apartment complex must be clean for 12 months. And a Judgement must show paid. Contacting a reputable credit repair company such has Halo Credit Solutions to help resolve bad credit while you build NEW credit is the best route.
Tips to Building Credit: 


1. Apply for a credit card but apply for a credit card that you are likely able to meet all requirements. Before applying, do your homework by making sure the creditor reports to credit bureaus otherwise it defeats the purpose. 
2. Create a spending plan. Use a credit card for purchase however keep the balance under $25 or at least a balance that you know you can pay IN FULL on time. Not just minimum...IN FULL. Getting gas or a few items at the grocery store will do the trick.
3. Opening a SECURED card is a great way to build credit. Orchard Bank and First Premier Bank are my recommendations
4. You need 2-3 major credit cards. Reason: you can not have a dormant credit card. You must be able to rotate your credit every few months. Having a dormant account can harm your score as well.


I really hope this information will help you. I want potential home owners to walk into a lenders office with confidence and secure in knowing they will be approved for a loan. Debt to income ratio is a lending factor as well however the majority a denied loans are due to poor score. If you are in the Charlotte area, please do not hesitate to contact me for a FREE home owner consultation meeting. Contact me directly:


Yolanda Hayes
www.soldbyyolanda.com
soldbyyolanda@gmail.com
704-839-6005

Buyer Tips: Interviewing Real Estate Agents

Before buying a car. Before hiring a babysitter. Before sending your kids to a new school. You research, ask questions and evaluate before making a decision. So why not do the same before hiring a real estate agent? Here are a few questions to ask a buyers agent: 

1. How Long Have You Been In The Business? 

Now there are agents that has been in the business for 20 years and seasoned however that does not necessarily mean that a new agent would not do a good job. Plus, new agents tend to have more time to focus on YOU.  The reason you ask this question is to make sure your agent has developed that skill to educate and inform you throughout the home buying process. 

2. What Strategies Do You Have For My Needs? 

As a buyer, you want to know 

• How this agent will search for your new home
• How many homes you will see 
• How are multiple offers handled
• Will this agent find communities with down payment assistance

3. Ask For Testimonials or Reference From Previous Clients?

It's always a GREAT idea to know what others have to say about this agents work ethics and history. You want to know that both you and this agents personality will not clash. 90% of my clients are buyers and I can honestly say that my personality is not for everyone so I love when I'm interviewed by potential clients.

4. What Are Some Qualities That Separates You From Your Competition? 

• Honesty and trustworthy 
• Friendly 
• Good communicator 
• Excellent Negotiator 
• Assertive
• Good sense of humor

5. How Can You Help Me Find Other Professionals?

There are several people involved in the home buying process other than you and your realtor. You have your mortgage lender to assist you with financing your loan. The inspector that will inspect the property for mold, gas, damage, structure, roof etc. The title company that will evaluate the deed to ensure there are no liens against the property. Closing attorney to direct the closings and many more


I hope this will help all buyers think about asking as many questions as possible when interviewing even if it's a friend of the family or friend. Business is business. For more information on me, please visit my website http://www.solbyyolanda.com/